United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
ASH UPDATE – Celebrity works with three travel firms on rescue mission
Stranded holiaymakers from three travel firms will be the only ones repatriated by new cruise ship Celebrity Eclipse from Spain.
The £500 million Celebrity Cruises’ vessel set sail from Southampton yesterday to collect UK holidaymakers from Bilbao (see earlier TravelMole story).
The voyage replaces a planned two-day launch VIP celebration cruise originally due to depart tomorrow.
Celebrity Cruises confirmed that it is working with TUI UK – the parent company of Thomson Holidays and First Choice – Thomas Cook and the Co-operative Travel Group on the sailing.
"By working with these three major tour operating brands we are able to maximise the help we can give," a statement said.
"Thomson, First Choice and CTTG have the infrastructure in place to transport as many customers as possible, from across Spain, to Bilbao.
"Unfortunately, we cannot help everybody. Celebrity Eclipse can only make one repatriation sailing and our Bilbao pick up will be restricted to customers of Thomas Cook, Thomson Holidays, First Choice and CTTG who have been allocated a space aboard the ship.
"We are advising customers of other tour operators to not turn up at the port in the hope of travelling with Celebrity Eclipse.
"Whilst we want to get as many people home as we can, we have to adhere to strict safety and security regulations. We are only able to transport customer travelling with Thnomas Cook, First Choice, Thomson Holidays and CTTG."
by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
Mark Jaronski of Explore Georgia on FIFA World Cup 2026
Connecting Small Businesses to Global Tourism Markets: Nate Huff of Tourism Exchange
North Carolina’s Resilience: Wit Tuttell on Recovery and Tourism
Kittipong Prapattong’s Plan for Thailand’s Tourism Growth: Taxes, Visas, and Campaigns
James Jin: Didatravel’s Journey from China to Global Reach and the Impact of AI on Travel
Darien Schaefer on Pensacola’s Evolution: From Small Town to Global Destination
Florida Tourism’s Next Frontier: Dana Young on Expanding Beyond the Classics
Patrick Harrison on Tampa Bay Tourism’s Resilience and Marketing Strategy
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
Craig Ray and the Expansion of the Blues Trail
Presenting Mississippi’s Cultural Trails with Katie Coats
BA suspending all Heathrow to Abu Dhabi flights
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
Unexpected wave rocks cruise ship
Woman dies after going overboard in English Channel
Foreign Office issues travel advisory for winter sun destinations